Automotive ignition kit



April 1957 AV. NEUBAUER x I 2,788,780

AUTOMOTIVE IGNIITIQN KIT Filed Oct. 1s, 1.951

,, Cm? I;

JE r-E I 'INVENTOR. Albert V. Neubuuer :morinsvs United States Patent AUTOMOTIVE IGNITION KIT Albert V. Neubauer, Hammond, Ind., assignor to Sinclair Refining Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Maine Application October 18, 1951, Serial Nb. 251,947

2 Claims. (Cl. 123-448) My invention relates to the ignition of internal combustion engines employing spark ignition systems. In particular, my invention provides a compact transportable ignition kit capable of supplying primary and secondary voltage to the distributor system of a spark ignition engine when regular ignition is weak or fails through a breakdown.

Automotive vehicles, such as automobiles, trucks, and the like, which employ spark ignition type internal combustion engines, are frequently subject to ignition difiiculties due to weak or dead batteries, burned out spark coils and extremely cold weather. Such difiiculties generally render the vehicle inoperative through failure to provide the necessary spark to ignite the fuel and, more often than not, such difiiculties occur at isolated locations not convenient to servicing facilities.

It is the object of my invention to supply a suitable device, readily transportable to the stalled vehicle, to supply proper ignition potentials and which will operate the vehicle for a period of time suificient to return it to a convenient service point.

Such a device must be capable of certain functions. It must have an independent low voltage supply which is readily adaptable to all types of vehicles whether they employ 6 volt or 12 volt systems and whether the negative or positive lead of the battery is the hot lead. The device, as previously noted, must be readily transportable, that is, it must be housed within a compact unit which may be moved about or installed within the vehicle, yet which requires a minimum number of electrical connections with the vehicle. The device must also be capable of operation independent of the high voltage supply system of the vehicle.

The device of my invention is an auxiliary automotive ignition kit. It includes, within a transportable compact housing unit, a battery, a polarity reversing switch and an autotransformer. All leads for connection with the engine are brought through the wall of the housing unit by three electrical terminal connectors. The internal connection of parts is such that the two leads from the battery terminals are each connected to a separate jaw of the polarity reversing switch. One of the poles of the switch is connected directly to one of the terminal connectors through the wall of the housing while the other pole is connected to the middle tap (primary) of the autotransformer. The high tension end tap from the autotransformer is connected directly to a second of the terminal connectors, while the low voltage end tap of the transformer is connected to the third terminal connector.

In operation, my device is connected to an automobile ignition system by connecting the first terminal connector to the chassis or ground of the automobile. A heavily insulated lead from the second terminal con nector is inserted in the center tap of the distributor coil of the automobile, replacing the high tension lead from the coil of the automobile. The third terminal connector is connected to the breaker points and con- "ice denser of the distributor, replacing the breaker point lead from the coil of the automobile. The polarity reversing switch is set so that the voltage of the battery corresponds. in polarity to the voltage of the automobile, that is, if the negative pole in the battery of the auto mobile is grounded, the negative pole of the battery in the kit is connected to the first terminal connector through the polarity reversing switch.

With such an arrangement cranking the engine of the vehicle immediately provides the proper ignition potentials to the distributor of the engine. The breaker points and condenser of the distributor provide the necessary inductive break to generate the high voltage required.

When using my ignition kit with automobiles that can be cranked with the regular ignition switch in the off position, it is not necessary to disconnect the wire lead from the coil of the automobile engine to the breaker points post on the distributor, as previously described. If, however, the ignition switch of the automobile must be on to crank the engine, such lead must be disconnected. This is particularly important when the automobile battery has a diiferent voltage than the battery in the kit.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents an elevational view of one embodiment of my invention which is partially sectioned to show the interior connection of parts. Figure 2 is a schematic electrical diagram of the device in Figure 1 as connected with a typical engine ignition system.

In the drawings the reference numeral 1 designates the housing for the kit. Battery 2, having terminals 3 and 4, is placed within the kit, braced to prevent it from changing position. While I have shown a 6-volt wet cell battery, it will be understood that for the purposes of supplying the necessary voltage, four dry cell A batteries will be equally satisfactory, as will other commercially available dry cells having the same voltage range. Generally any battery capable of providing a six volt D. C. potential can be employed. I prefer to use the wet cell type battery, although it is heavier and requires a larger space and proportionately larger housing, since it is capable of supplying the necessary voltage with better regulation under sustained periods of operation and may be readily recharged without removal from the housing. It is not essential that a 6 volt battery be employed if an appropriate coil is used to replace coil 17, later described; for example, a 12 volt battery may be used. I prefer to provide a hinged top on the housing so that access may be had to the battery for the purposes of charging it.

Terminals 4 and 3 of battery 2 are connected to polarizing switch 5 at jaw lugs 8 and 9, respectively, by means of insulated cables 11 and 10, respectively. Polarizing switch Sis suitably a double-pole, double-throw switch having a center 0 position. I prefer to use a toggle switch for this purpose since it may be mounted on the wall of housing 1 providing external control of the switch with internal wiring as shown in the drawing.

Switch 5 is provided with cross-over wires 12 and 13 which connect diagonally opposite jaws so that in one position the poles 6 and 7 are connected to jaws 8 and 9, respectively, and thus with terminals 4 and 3, respectively, of the battery 2. In the other position, poles 6 and 7 are connected to the terminals 3 and 4, respectively, of the battery 2, while in the center oil position the battery is disconnected.

Pole 6 is connected by means of insulated wire 14 to terminal connector 15 mounted through the wall of housing 1. Pole 7 is connected by means of insulated wire 18 to lug 16 of coil 17 mounted on the housing wall.

Coil 17 is an automobile induction coil ofthe autotransformer type which consists of a water tight case containing a primary winding of approximately 200 turns of Number 20 gauge copper wire wound. on an iron .core;

The leads from the primary winding are brought through mately 15,000 turns of Number 38 gauge copper wire wound over the primary and brought out through the center of the top portion of the coil by insulated high voltage lead 22 which is connected to terminal connector 23 mounted through the wall of housing 1 WhileI have specified an auto-transformer, it will be readily apparent that the substitution of other induction .c oil's suib able for the purpose may be made. Lug 19 is connected bymeansof insulated wire 21 to terminal connector. 20, mounted through the wall of housing 1.

In the embodiment of myinvention shown in Figure l, I additionally provide a single-pole, single-throw switch 26, also suitably of the toggle variety, which is mounted on the housing wall for external control. Switch 26 is provided with a pole 28 and jaws 25, pole 28 being connectcd by insulated wire 29 to terminal connector 29.

Jaws 25 are connected by insulated wire 27 to condenser 24 which is an automobile type condenser having an outside metal can which serves as a ground connection and is clamped to terminal connector 15.

In operation, as shown in Figure 2, terminal connector 23 is connected by heavily insulated high voltage wire 30 to the center tap of distributor 31 of the engine, the regular high tension lead from the enginecoil first having been removed. Terminal 20 is connected by.means of insulated wire 35 to the breaker point lug on the distributor 31 of the engine, the regular connection from the vehicles coil first having been removed, if the engine ignition switch is on. In the drawing, reference num eral 32 represents the breaker points which are geared to the rotor of the distributor 31. Across the breaker points within the distributor is placed condenser 33.

Terminal connector 15 is connected by means of wire 34 to the engine, chassis or ground and thus completes the low voltage circuit between terminal connector 20.

and terminal connector 15 through the breaker points 32 and condenser 33, and completes the high voltage circuit betweenterminal connector 23 and. terminal connector 15, through distributor 31 and the spark'plugs of the engine.

In operation, with switch 26 open, the kit is connected to the stalled engine as is'just described. Switch .is then closed in the direction which pr vides thesame polarity of low voltage as is used in the vehicle to'be' operated. The engine is then cranked, which causes the distributor to rotate and causes the breaker points to On occasion, particularly in circumstances where the.

ignition difiiculty in the vehicle is due to poor condenser action, switch 26 may be closed to provide additional capacitance in parallel with the condenser 33 of the engine. Y

My transportable ignition kit can be used to start spark ignition engines equipped with either 6 or 12 volt ignition systems which employ timing devices, such as a distributor with breaker points as illustrated in Figure 2. The kit is completely independent of the power source of the engine and may be operated without disconnecting the engine battery even though it is a 12 volt battery. In general, the kit may be used to aid faulty ignition systems used in other mechanical devices, so long as the device employs a timing mechanism and a spark plug or suitable electrodes. However, it cannot be used in engines employing a magneto'type high voltage source, such. as [S 7 commonly used in aircraft and farm tractors. With that exception, I have found my device to be of otherwise universal application. Its particular utility stems from the previously described features of complete independonce, its ability to be used in various vehicles regardless of their particular voltage supply, and its simplicity of connectiononly'three connections must be made, each of which is made to accessible parts of the engine.

I claim: 1. An auxiliary automotive ignition kit which comp'rises a transportable housing, a battery, a polarity reversing switch and an autotransformer, said battery, switch and autotransformer being mounted vwithin and contained by the housing, and three electrical terminal connectors mounted through the wall of the housing, the opposite terminals of the battery each being electrically 'autotransformer, the high tension end tap of said autotransformer being connected to asecond of the terminal connectors, and the low voltage and tap of said auto; transformer being connected to the third of said terminal connectors said first terminal connector adapted for connection to ground of an engine, said second terminal connector adapted for substitution for the center tap connector of a distributor coil of the engine, and said third terminal connector adapted for substitution for the breaker points connector of the engine.

a 2. An auxiliary ignition kit according to claim 1 which further comprises a single-pole, single-throw switch and a condenser, each being mounted within and contained by said housing, one side of the said switch being connected to the third said terminal connector, the other'side o'f'said' switch being connected to onelead of the condenser, and the other lead of the condenser being con nected to the first said terminal connector.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED-STATES PATENTS 889,305 Heinze June 2, 1908 1,202,532 Keller Oct. 24, 1916 1,473,585 Patterson Nov. 6, 1923 1,990,772 Borchertet al Feb. 12, 1935 2,173,870 Weston Sept. 26, 1939 2,214,276- Hughes Sept. 10, 1940 2,548,056 Powasnick Apr. '10, 1951 v FOREIGN PATENTS v V 603,105 Great Britain Jun'e 9, 1948 

